Manchester's Lesbian and Gay Foundation have teamed up with NHS
North West to unveil a brand new quality benchmark for gay GP
patients.
The scheme, entitled Pride in Practice, will act as a benchmarking
tool and will encourage GPs across the UK to make sure that their
lesbian, gay and bisexual patients are treated fairly, and that
their services are inclusive of LGB people and their needs.
The surgeries that sign up to the standard will be expected to
create a welcoming environment - including using inclusive language
and imagery, monitor sexual orientation, consult with LGB patients,
get involved with health promotion and outreach, and train staff on
specific LGB issues.
The standard encourages GPs to aim for excellence in LGB service
delivery, and once a surgery demonstrates that it is an accessible
and supportive service they will be awarded a
bronze, silver or gold certificate of recognition.
Specifically, it will help practices meet their legal duties
under the Equality Act.
It will launch at the LGF's Community Resource Centre in
Manchester on 14 February and will feature a talk from the
Chairwoman of the Royal College of GP's Dr Clare Gerada.
The project, which has been sneered at by The Christian
Institute, has also received the backing of TV's Dr Christian
Jessen.
"I think Pride in Practice is a great initiative...GPs are going
to have to be more accommodating to all of their patients needs,"
he said.
"It's important to remember that patients have a choice about
which GP practice they use especially as these days they have to
run more like a business, it is in the interests of practices to
show that they are welcoming to lesbian, gay and bisexual
patients... I fully approve of this."
Paul Martin OBE, chief executive of LGF, said: "Taking this work
forward is one of our main priorities for 2012. The success of the
GP's Surgeries project highlighted the impact that accessing a
welcoming space can have in terms of quality of care for LGB
people.
"Pride in Practice aims to continue this work in encouraging
GP's surgeries to be more aware of and more accountable for
achieving excellence in LGB healthcare."
